The Government was facing serious questions over its anti-terrorpolicies last night after a Somali-born extremist became the firstperson to abscond while the subject of new monitoring powersimposed by Theresa May, the Home Secretary.

Ibrahim Magag, 28, was last seen on Boxing Day in north London.
Police have alerted all ports and airports amid fears that he is
heading to Somalia to join the ranks of some 50 British jihadists
operating in and around the country.

Mr Magag – who was said to have arranged finances for al-Qa'ida
associates – had been barred from the capital to stop him mixing
with a group of Britons who are believed to have backed extremist
associates in East Africa. But he was allowed to return to his
London home from "internal exile" in the West Country when the
Government introduced new anti-terror orders at the start of 2012,
after a long-running controversy over whether the previous rules
breached human rights. At least two other men have breached the
terms of their Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures
(TPims) in 2012. The orders can force the suspect to stay overnight
at a specified address, report to a police station every day and
prevent them travelling abroad. Mr Magag, who was last spotted
wearing a khaki robe in Camden on Boxing Day evening, was one of
just 10 men subject to the orders. Mrs May applied to the High
Court yesterday to have an anonymity order lifted against him to
aid the police hunt. However, speculation was growing last night
that he had fled to Somalia. Mr Magag was named as part of a
British cell of extremists with access to false passports, money
and documents in a court hearing in July.

Scotland Yard said last night that he should not be approached
but is "not considered at this time to represent a direct threat to
the British public".

Court papers named Mr Magag as an associate of a man known only
as "CC", who had fought on the front line in Somalia in support of
al-Shabaab. The al-Qa'ida-linked group is blamed for thousands of
deaths including of Western aid workers.

Mr Magag was said to have flown to Somalia in 2007 and was
detained in Dubai on his return in possession of three mobile
phones and thousands of dollars. While in custody, he tried to
swallow a piece of paper containing telephone numbers.

After his return to Britain, he was ordered to move to the West
Country in 2009 to disrupt his extremist activities. His return to
London sparked a political row as counter-terrorism officials were
gearing up for the huge security operation before the Olympics.

Keith Vaz, the chairman of the Parliamentary Home Affairs Select
Committee, said the failure of the TPim regime in the Magag case
was a cause for serious concern. "How was this able to happen,
bearing in mind that assurances have been given by ministers that
the procedures would protect the public?" he said. "I have asked
for a full explanation."

New order: The UK's terror measures

Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPims) replaced
control orders at the start of last year. The main differences
are:

* Control orders had to be renewed annually but were otherwise
indefinite. TPims last for two years but are renewed only if new
evidence is presented.

* Forced relocation was allowed under control orders, but not
now.

* Suspects subject to TPims can apply to spend a night at a
different address to their residence. This wasn't possible under
control orders.

* Rules relating to whom a suspect can communicate have been
relaxed slightly by TPims.

* Control orders barred internet access. TPims allow it, but on
the condition that passwords are passed to the security
services.

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